[Liposarcoma in adults. Prognostic factors in a series of 84 cases (author's transl)]

A retrospective study of 84 patients with liposarcoma treated at the Gustave Roussy Institute between 1956 and 1978 has elicited a number of factors which influence the prognosis, namely: (1) the site of the initial tumour: patients with liposarcoma of the head, trunk and extremities have a better survival rate than those with retroperitoneal tumours or tumours of the pelvic and pectoral girdles; (2) the histological type: differentiated forms have a brighter prognosis than undifferentiated forms; (3) the size of the tumour: tumours of less than 10 cm in diameter have a more favourable prognosis than larger tumours; and (4) the patient's age, which in fact correlates with the histological type. Local recurrences are common but do not seem to worsen the prognosis. The only curative treatment is surgery, but radiotherapy reduces the risk of local recurrences and chemotherapy may be considered in cases with poor prognosis.